102 posts in this topic

I found this exact fly, used on the Cape, early June, to be very successful. Pattern is available online on Capt. Castafly's google site. A nearby flyfisher, seeing that I was starting to catch stripers after tying on this fly, switched to the very same fly, and he began catching. The variegated color rabbit zonkers are pink/white. i was able to find mine on an online flyfishing site when my local shop didn't have these colors, but possibly your local fly shop will have the variegated colors of light pink/white, zonkers and XC zonkers to complete the tie of this really good fly. Bear's Den, as always, a great supplier of fine fly tying materials. No connections but always a satisfied customer.

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there is this one squid fly that I have gotten from a shop and used a while back. It uses a chenille body and feathers for the tail, and kind of looks like a schminnow but with a tapered body and eyes in a different position. I forgot what its called though. I liked it a lot because it didn't foul.

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I hope this helps BillyBallGame. Spent a little time trying to answer your question.

The rabbit strips and hackles can be found in the recipe. Hareline is the manufacturer of the two tone dye process.

Squid-sicle ….. This tiny calamari specimen will have you hooked!

Simple solutions are often overshadowed by the complex thought process. The last sentence could have easily been written as, “Simple Works.”That’s the approach that’s worked for me. Why try to complicate an already complicated life.

My dad had many good attributes, but the one quality I always admire most about him was his ability to improvise. He could take a pile of discarded junk wood; turn it into some beautiful. In many cases his project would be practical and functional too. You can’t beat that with a stick. This same type of analytical, old fashion knowhow produced the current model of the Squid-sicle.

I’ve always had a few questions about some of the tying methods used on squid patterns. For one, how do the plastic eyes stay attached to flimsy material? Second, how eye placement locations are not anatomical correct to the species? As an added determent, some of these patterns required extensive time and tying methods. Could there possibly be an easier way / less time consuming method that would suit my purpose and criteria?

My solution may be a simple one. Nothing holds better than 5 ton epoxy. Besides the terrific holding power of the material, it’s also impervious to saltwater conditions. So why not try to utilize these properties? Obviously, I didn’t want to apply it in the same manner as liquid glue on fly tying materials. That wouldn’t solve the problem at all.

The answer was simple and right in front of my nose. Use a stiff piece of monofilament.While other tiers have used a similar method of applying one eye with a loop method, I had never seen anyone use two eyes before on the same stand of material. Could I be on to something different?

The inherent problem with the loop method has always been the difficulty to keep opposite eyes on plane with each other. It’s fairly easy to tie them in at the same overhang lengths but the memory of mono has a mindset of its own. They never seem to work as one unit.

Simple Engineering

By applying two eyes to the same lanyard produced some uniform results across the board. No longer did both eyes work independently of each other. Both eyes now worked in unison. They both remained on plane. A second piece of mono (later added) to the process produce an even more stable platform. This prevented the eyes from rolling if the set in the mono changed over time. The epoxy also helped stabilize the twisting effect.

Some other beneficial advantages were noted with this new type of construction. A fouling loop was formed by tying the eye assembly outside the boundaries of the hook bend. Secondly, after some experimentation, reducing the distance between the two eyes creates a natural channel whereas the rabbit strip would fit snug between the eyes. That distance should be ¼ inch. Now I had a material support, fouling loop, and a track to keep the rabbit strip in place. This also improved the visual profile of the fly hiding the strip behind the eyes.

The eye assembly also provides separation from the top and bottom materials. This was an important issue since the rabbit strip is so vital to the fly’s action. Limiting the movement of the rabbit strip reduces the effectiveness of the material. Rabbit fur does have such great movement with little or no movement of the fly.

With this type of extension, the squid eyes were now positioned correctly in relationship to the mantle and tentacles of the fly. It just seemed easy to find the right proportions now. Extension like this can be adjusted to any size lengths. That offers a measure of versatility to the fly tier.

Lastly, the eye separation produced one more important element besides the fish catching ability. The pattern developed a three dimensional visual effect viewed from all angles.It was possible to see all or at least part of the eye from any direction. Is that important to any fish? Many of us believe the eye is an important visual target. I’m betting on that here. The bunny hackle was the ideal material to use for the mantle.The wound hackle produces a full symmetrical effect adding to the realism of a full opaque mantle. In the end, a little old fashion Yankee ingenuity produced some better results.

Just a few words on materials

Hareline Dubbing is the only dealer I know that produces the two tone dying process you see here. I’ve experimented with some solid colors but prefer the blended effect of different shades. This produces more contrast and a closer appearance to the chromatophores found on the epidermis layer of these fascinating creatures.

With some thought you might find other applications ideally suited for this type of assembly. Tarpon flies come to mind. I’ve tied a few and they look good on the bench. I don’t tarpon fish… so the jury is out whether they work or not. But they do move the eyes off the bend of the hook to increase the hook gap distance. That’s important.

Experiment with different types of materials for the lanyards. Cutting strips of flexible nylon tie-downs should work. Perhaps line trimmer weed wacker material?Who knows? Give it a try.

STEP3: Invert hook to normal position. Cut a length of rabbit strip 2 3/8” long. Use razor knife. Stretch and cut diagonal on hide side only. This protects the fur side. Remove 3/8 inch of fur with scissors leaving flesh. This prevents bulk-up. Tie in place over starting point with firm tight wraps. Return thread to starting position.

STEP 4: Invert hook. Preparing the cross-cut strip. Cuta lead angle on the end. A little practice and positioning with help find the right end. Tie in as shown on the bottom of hook. Following this technique gives a full wrap over the top. Advance thread to eye.

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I hope this helps BillyBallGame. Spent a little time trying to answer your question.

The rabbit strips and hackles can be found in the recipe. Hareline is the manufacturer of the two tone dye process.

Squid-sicle ….. This tiny calamari specimen will have you hooked!

Simple solutions are often overshadowed by the complex thought process. The last sentence could have easily been written as, “Simple Works.”That’s the approach that’s worked for me. Why try to complicate an already complicated life.

My dad had many good attributes, but the one quality I always admire most about him was his ability to improvise. He could take a pile of discarded junk wood; turn it into some beautiful. In many cases his project would be practical and functional too. You can’t beat that with a stick. This same type of analytical, old fashion knowhow produced the current model of the Squid-sicle.

I’ve always had a few questions about some of the tying methods used on squid patterns. For one, how do the plastic eyes stay attached to flimsy material? Second, how eye placement locations are not anatomical correct to the species? As an added determent, some of these patterns required extensive time and tying methods. Could there possibly be an easier way / less time consuming method that would suit my purpose and criteria?

My solution may be a simple one. Nothing holds better than 5 ton epoxy. Besides the terrific holding power of the material, it’s also impervious to saltwater conditions. So why not try to utilize these properties? Obviously, I didn’t want to apply it in the same manner as liquid glue on fly tying materials. That wouldn’t solve the problem at all.

The answer was simple and right in front of my nose. Use a stiff piece of monofilament.While other tiers have used a similar method of applying one eye with a loop method, I had never seen anyone use two eyes before on the same stand of material. Could I be on to something different?

The inherent problem with the loop method has always been the difficulty to keep opposite eyes on plane with each other. It’s fairly easy to tie them in at the same overhang lengths but the memory of mono has a mindset of its own. They never seem to work as one unit.

Simple Engineering

By applying two eyes to the same lanyard produced some uniform results across the board. No longer did both eyes work independently of each other. Both eyes now worked in unison. They both remained on plane. A second piece of mono (later added) to the process produce an even more stable platform. This prevented the eyes from rolling if the set in the mono changed over time. The epoxy also helped stabilize the twisting effect.

Some other beneficial advantages were noted with this new type of construction. A fouling loop was formed by tying the eye assembly outside the boundaries of the hook bend. Secondly, after some experimentation, reducing the distance between the two eyes creates a natural channel whereas the rabbit strip would fit snug between the eyes. That distance should be ¼ inch. Now I had a material support, fouling loop, and a track to keep the rabbit strip in place. This also improved the visual profile of the fly hiding the strip behind the eyes.

The eye assembly also provides separation from the top and bottom materials. This was an important issue since the rabbit strip is so vital to the fly’s action. Limiting the movement of the rabbit strip reduces the effectiveness of the material. Rabbit fur does have such great movement with little or no movement of the fly.

With this type of extension, the squid eyes were now positioned correctly in relationship to the mantle and tentacles of the fly. It just seemed easy to find the right proportions now. Extension like this can be adjusted to any size lengths. That offers a measure of versatility to the fly tier.

Lastly, the eye separation produced one more important element besides the fish catching ability. The pattern developed a three dimensional visual effect viewed from all angles.It was possible to see all or at least part of the eye from any direction. Is that important to any fish? Many of us believe the eye is an important visual target. I’m betting on that here. The bunny hackle was the ideal material to use for the mantle.The wound hackle produces a full symmetrical effect adding to the realism of a full opaque mantle. In the end, a little old fashion Yankee ingenuity produced some better results.

Just a few words on materials

Hareline Dubbing is the only dealer I know that produces the two tone dying process you see here. I’ve experimented with some solid colors but prefer the blended effect of different shades. This produces more contrast and a closer appearance to the chromatophores found on the epidermis layer of these fascinating creatures.

With some thought you might find other applications ideally suited for this type of assembly. Tarpon flies come to mind. I’ve tied a few and they look good on the bench. I don’t tarpon fish… so the jury is out whether they work or not. But they do move the eyes off the bend of the hook to increase the hook gap distance. That’s important.

Experiment with different types of materials for the lanyards. Cutting strips of flexible nylon tie-downs should work. Perhaps line trimmer weed wacker material?Who knows? Give it a try.

STEP3: Invert hook to normal position. Cut a length of rabbit strip 2 3/8” long. Use razor knife. Stretch and cut diagonal on hide side only. This protects the fur side. Remove 3/8 inch of fur with scissors leaving flesh. This prevents bulk-up. Tie in place over starting point with firm tight wraps. Return thread to starting position.

STEP 4: Invert hook. Preparing the cross-cut strip. Cuta lead angle on the end. A little practice and positioning with help find the right end. Tie in as shown on the bottom of hook. Following this technique gives a full wrap over the top. Advance thread to eye.